The Butterfly Effect was a popular movie starring Ashton Kutcher that came out in 2004 – but that’s not what we are going to talk about here. However, we are going to talk about the title of this movie, which got its name from a theory that is also known as “The Butterfly Effect” – the concept that small causes can have large effects.
History
This theory was initially founded over 50 years ago when Edward Lorenz, a meteorology professor from MIT entered some numbers into a computer program that simulated weather patterns and left his office to get a cup of coffee while the machine was running. When he returned, he noticed a result that would change the course of science – forever.
The computer model was based on 12 variables, which represented things like temperature and wind speed. Those values were depicted on graphs as lines that rise and fall over time. On this particular day, Lorenz was repeating a simulation he had run earlier, but he made one small tweak – he rounded off one of the variables from .506127 to .506. Little did he know that a tiny, seemingly insignificant decision transformed the entire pattern his program produced – over 2 months of simulated weather.
The unexpected results were what led Lorenz to his insight about the way nature works and how even small changes can have very large consequences. He suggested that the flap of a butterfly’s wings could ultimately cause a tornado, and this is where this theory got its name. It is also known as “sensitive dependence on initial conditions.” The Butterfly Effect certainly sounds more intriguing though, wouldn’t you agree?
This plays into the idea that everything on this planet is connected, and just one small action can indeed make a big change.
According to Wikipedia: “In this theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on the initial conditions in which just a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in differences in a later state.”
Real Life Occurrences of The Butterfly Effect
Here’s one example of what can be defined as an example of The Butterfly Effect that shows how just one small action can change the course of history forever.
- Adolf Hitler was denied by the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. This then encouraged him to join the military during World War I. His experience in the military is what shaped him into becoming the man he became by influencing his views and training him for the position of authority. Imagine he ended up with an arts degree instead…
And Here Are Some More Current Examples From Reddit Users…
“As someone who was deciding between three different Universities, I can’t help but think how different my life would be had I chosen somewhere else. I would have a completely different set of friends, different extracurriculars, a different major. I would certainly end up with a different career and spouse. Probably end up living in a different state, or at least a different city for sure. That one seemingly insignificant decision has affected my entire life.
The even crazier thing to think about is how many other peoples’ lives I’ve affected. Had I chosen to go somewhere else, my spot in the residence halls would have been filled by someone else. This likely would have caused a shift in the entire system, and everyone would have ended up in different buildings and made entirely different friends. I’ve introduced dozens of people to each other, and they never would have become close friends without me. Someone else would have taken my spot at the two jobs I’ve had, two jobs that impact hundreds of other students.
Hmm. Maybe I am somewhat significant in this tough crazy world.”
“In the building where our college speech and debate program operated, there was one tiny office through a side hallway with a single door that nobody talked about, and I’d never caught anybody going in there. One day I’m curious and pop in, and discover a man in an office.
That man ran an office for a separate organization, which had temporarily located to our building for the year. I talk to him, and get a job offer. I work as his secretary for six months.
Then his mother falls terminally ill, and he moves across the country to care for her. I remain secretary when a new boss comes in.
Two years later, I’m living in Chicago as a grad student. My wife is working full-time for a job she’s overqualified for, puts in 80+ hours per week, and is not enjoying her job. My former boss finds out about this. He is in Texas, and offers my wife a job, and helps me network a job offer as well.
We move across the country to Texas.
We buy a house in Texas.
We encounter a homeless couple and offer them the chance to stay in our spare bedroom until they get on their feet.
We later find out from Mr. homeless that he had decided that he was going to commit suicide (feelings of inadequacy) that evening, but things turned around when they were invited to live with us. He’s gotten help now and starts work next week.”
So, hopefully after these examples, you get the idea behind this theory.
Some Thoughts On The Matter
So you see, something that may feel so normal, or insignificant in our lives can actually have a huge impact on your own life and even the lives of others. This is a great thing to remember when you feel like you are just one person out of billions on the planet and thus, your thoughts and actions do not matter. Of course they do!
So just remember how important you actually are in the world and the Universe, and if you are ever about to not do something because you feel that there’s no way you can make a difference, do it anyway – you never know how one small decision will affect your entire life!
Have you experienced this theory in effect? Or do you have any examples? Please share your stories in the comment section below.
Much Love
via Collective - Evolution